The Twilight Twenty Five - Round 8
by hells mells
Summary: My entries for Round 8 of The Twilight 25. These are based on the provided pic prompts and are flashfics (300-500 words).
1. Chapter 1

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: 11

Pen Name: hells mells

Pairing/Character(s): Bella, Rosalie, Alice

Rating: G

Word Count: 375

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

* * *

We all woke early to a beautiful morning and, over breakfast, discussed plans for the day. Rosalie said she knew this great beach that hardly anyone went to. It was tucked away off the highway, and was so secluded we could swim naked, if we wanted to.

The drive was long and the day was hot, my legs and back sticking to the vinyl seats in Alice's old station wagon. We had all the windows down and the music turned up, singing along to our favorites from the 80s. I played with Alice's hair as she drove; braiding it, then undoing it and braiding again. It helped pass the time.

Giving up on Alice's hair, I stuck my head out the window trying to catch some air. That's when I smelt it, the beach. That particular combination of salt and sand and freshness that can only be found at the seaside.

"Are we close, Rose?" I asked, pulling my head back inside the car.

She turned and grinned at me. "About 5 minutes, I think."

I put my head back out the window, willing to endure swallowing dust because we were so close.

We rounded a bend and there was the beach, breathtaking in its beauty. The water was a brilliant turquoise and the sand, an intriguing shade of peach.

Alice pulled over and we all piled out, grabbing the bazillion things we deemed necessary for a day at the beach, and picked our way over some rocks onto the sand. I kicked off my flip flops and sank my toes into the sand which, at this early hour, was only warm and not hot enough to burn.

I'd never seen sand like this before. It was a mix of the red dust and white sand and as fine as powdered sugar. It was so pure that it squeaked under our feet when we walked across it.

I was dying to get into the water and wash the dust off me. Dropping my bags, I stripped off my sundress and ran towards the waves, Rose and Alice right behind me. The water was cool and refreshing and as we splashed and floated I couldn't help but think this was a perfect start to summer vacation.


	2. Chapter 2

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: 2

Pen Name: hells mells

Pairing/Character(s): Rosalie

Rating: G

Word Count: 487

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

* * *

I stood at the front door, the keys jingling gently from the shaking of my hands. Taking a breath to steady myself, I unlocked the door and stepped over the threshold. The air inside was stale and warm, with a musty smell from being closed up for so long.

Wandering through the rooms opening curtains and blinds, I couldn't stop the memories that flooded my mind. So many memories of Mom and I together, the two of us a world unto ourselves. I sat on the couch and let the tears flow. I thought I had finished with them. It had been six months since Mom died, but grief has its own timing, and the strangest things can cause it to wash over you.

Once I'd calmed down I made my way to the bedroom. It looked exactly the same as I remembered it. The quilt smoothed flat, the sheer lace curtains covering the window, the silver-backed brushes I used to play with as a little girl laid out on the dressing table; I guess they were mine now.

I opened the closet doors and stared at the contents. I could remember Mom wearing most of these clothes, but they were all going to have to go. I'd filled three boxes when I had to take a break, the feeling that I was throwing Mom away, rather than her clothes, was overwhelming.

Sitting on the floor in front of the closet I noticed an old shoe box. Dusting off the top I saw the word "Photos" in black marker scrawled across it in Mom's familiar hand. Inside there were so many photos, corners bent and finger-marked, like they'd be touched often.

I picked up a pile and started going through them. Pictures of Paris, Rome, Florence, London, Dublin, New York. Pictures of my mother with her arms around a man I didn't know, holding a little girl that wasn't me, standing in front of a house that wasn't this one.

The photos slipped out of my fingers as I tried to understand what this meant. It was definitely my mother, there was no mistaking her, but who were these other people? I felt as though I'd been gut-punched, that my whole life had been turned on its head, making me question everything about my life.

The anger came from nowhere and blind-sided me. How could she hide this from me? Was this man my father, the one she said had never wanted me? What about this other child? Did I have a sister somewhere? She'd always told me it was just the two of us, that we didn't need anyone else.

I threw back my head and screamed until I was hoarse, releasing all the pain and betrayal I felt. Dropping my head to my hands I sobbed, knowing I'd never have any answers. My mother was gone taking the story with her.


	3. Chapter 3

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: 23

Pen Name: hells mells

Pairing/Character(s): Alice

Rating: G

Word Count: 438

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

* * *

The sun, streaming through the dormer window and hitting my eyes, woke me. I rolled on to my back and yawned, before settling in to my pillow and listening carefully.

For the last two months a pair of wrens had been building a nest in the tree outside my window. I loved to lie here every morning and listen to them chatter away to themselves happily, as they finished their home and, lately, as the jenny sat on the eggs.

This morning their song seemed more animated than usual, and I jumped out of bed to see what was up. Throwing up the window and sitting on the edge of the sill, I could just make out two little mouths wide open and screaming for food. The eggs had hatched! I covered my mouth with my hands and squealed with happiness. It was almost as if they were my babies.

I must have sat there for at least half an hour watching the father bringing the food back to the nest, and the mother feeding it carefully to the young. It was only my own mother's voice yelling at me to hurry or I'd be late for school, that tore me away from them.

I started every day this way; checking on the progress of the baby birds, watching in fascination as they grew bigger and stronger. Soon they were old enough to start testing their wings. Stretching them and waving them in the gentle spring breezes, getting a feel for the freedom that awaited them.

One ordinary, Wednesday morning I woke and listened for the usual happy cacophony outside my window. Instead, I was greeted by silence. Hurrying to the window I opened it and climbed out on to the roof. Tiptoeing carefully over the to the tree, I looked into the nest. It was empty. My babies had grown up and left, and their mom and dad were free to get on with their own lives. I wasn't prepared for the small ache of sadness that lodged in my chest. Wiping away tears, I climbed back through the window and got ready for school.

Standing in the door of the kitchen, I watched my mom singing along to the radio while she made waffles. As a teenager, I'd never really given any thought to what my parents' lives were like, but _this_ morning, maybe I had a small idea. Walking over to my mom, I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, and gave her a big hug. She turned around in my arms and smiled. Smiling back I kissed her cheek.

"Love you, Mom."


	4. Chapter 4

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: 4

Pen Name: hells mells

Pairing/Character(s): Bella & Edward

Rating: G

Word Count: 480

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

* * *

I was going to be one of "those" people. You know, the ones on a flight who, as soon as the plane has landed, have their seatbelt undone and are half out of their seat. I'd already been sitting for the last 3 hours, every minute of those hours crawling over my skin like fire ants, spiking my anxiety. I needed to be in Seattle already. I never should have left in the first place.

As was usual for me I'd let my emotions run away with me, and stormed off without giving Edward a chance to explain. Although, how he could explain the lip-lock he and that skank, Angie, were engaged in, I don't know. I should have at least given him the chance, I guess. But, I didn't. I grabbed my bag from the van and ran back to my mom in Phoenix.

I shouldn't have really been surprised to find Edward with someone else. I'd never understood what he'd seen in me in the first place. I wasn't ugly, I was just average, but Edward, he was gorgeous. I'd tried to fight my insecurities about our relationship, and I'd been doing well. Edward had never given me a reason to doubt him until that night. Seeing him with Angie had brought them back to the surface.

Now I was back after a week of getting my head straight, and hoping that I could fix things with Edward. He'd called my mom's house every day and every night, begging to speak to me, but I refused. Mom told me how sad and defeated he sounded and how sorry he was. Last night he'd told her he wasn't going to call anymore, it hurt him too much.

So here I was, outside the venue they'd played tonight but it was too quiet. There were no crowds and the doors were wide open. Maybe they were inside packing up? Walking through the door I could see a drum kit but everything else was gone. They were gone.

I dropped my bag, my shoulders slumped and the tears I'd been fighting all day finally won through. I was too late. They'd left and I'd missed them. I'd missed Edward and I had no idea where their next gig was. I stood there feeling lost and let the tears flow.

"Bella?" I spun around. Edward was standing in the doorway looking shocked.

"Edward," I whispered. I took a step towards him but he was already there. He swept me up in his arms and squeezed, covering my face in kisses. I pulled back from him and looked into his eyes.

"Edward, I'm so sorry," I sobbed.

He hugged me tight and whispered in my ear. "No baby, it's me that's sorry. Will you forgive me?"

I nodded.

"Thank you, Bella." He leant his forehead against mine. "I love you," he breathed.


	5. Chapter 5

The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: 1

Pen Name: hells mells

Pairing/Character(s): Edward & Bella

Rating: M

Word Count: 378

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

* * *

I look through the car window and smile at the beautiful sight. My girl was not a morning person, and the fact that she'd agreed to get up so early this morning to be here with me, meant so much.

I quietly open the back door of the car, slip off my shoes and snuggle up behind her. She's warm and soft and all sweet-smelling girl. I take a deep breath and revel in the moment, as I wrap my arms around her, my right hand automatically settling over her left boob. I don't know why I do this, it's just something I've always done and Bella thinks it's funny that even in my sleep I can't keep my hands off her boobs.

Just as I'm starting to drift off to sleep myself, Bella starts to wriggle and I open my eyes to see her watching me. We smile at each other and after a bit of maneuvering we are nose to nose and giggling.

She sighs. "Sorry I fell asleep. I tried really hard to stay awake, but it was still dark!"

I laugh at her. "It's okay, baby. I know you don't do mornings." I kiss her on the nose, which she's wrinkled adorably.

"Well, how did it go? Did you get it? Did you get the shot?"

I squeeze her to me. "I did, I got more than one and they're amazing. I can't wait to show you. They're just what I wanted to finish off my portfolio."

She throws her arms around my neck and rains kisses all over my face.

"Oh Edward, that's great. I knew you'd do it. It was totally worth getting up for. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, babe," I whisper in her ear. "Should we head home and warm up?"

She looks up at me through her eyelashes and smiles "How about I warm you up right here?" Her lips cover mine and one of her hands starts working its way down my body.

"You always have the best ideas," I say, as I take a quick look out the car window. The car park is still empty and I smile as my lips find hers again. There are definitely some positives to getting up so early.


End file.
